Senior Animal Science major Melissa Garcia Rodriguez has been awarded the 2017 American FFA Degree. The National FFA Organization says that the American FFA Degree “is awarded to FFA members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA and is awarded to less than 1% of FFA members. Garcia Rodriguez is also the first Latina in Iowa to receive this award.

She will be traveling to Indianpolis in October to receive her honors during the Eighth General Session of the 90th National FA Convention and Expo.